A Coin Has Two Sides (Season Two) || Kaz Brekker x OC

29. What Does the Future Hold?

The coronation.

It was taking place in a grand chapel.

Gold covered the entire hall.

Paintings depicting the Saints of Ravka's religion were placed on each wall and the ceiling.

Winnie had taken her place standing to the right of the stage with Alina to the left.

Nikolai took his position in the centre, draped in a glamourous cape of fur and gold stitching.

The positioning of the three was purposeful.

It showed the past and the future of Ravka.

With Winnie stood the past.

The events that took place were to remain there, and the future would be protected from them in her presence.

With Alina stood the future.

The one who destroyed the Fold and bought forth opportunity to Ravka.

With Nikolai stood the link between the two.

The future King who would unite Ravka and bring justice for the past and hope to the future by having the shadow summoner and the sun summoner by his side.

He took a step forward between the two summoners before lowering himself down onto his right knee, his head lowered.

The Apparat stepped forth holding the crown and placed it on Nikolai's head.

Nikolai remained kneeling as the Apparat walked away before returning with a golden sceptre and orb.

He tapped the sceptre onto each of Nikolai's shoulders before handing over the two golden objects for him to hold.

Winnie tilted her head slightly as she saw Nikolai wince at the sceptre touching his right shoulder.

The Apparat must have tapped the sceptre onto him a little too harshly.

That's all.

The Apparat then bowed his head before stepping away from the now King of Ravka.

Nikolai raised his head and stood up from his knee.

As he stood up straight, the entire crowd rose and begun applauding.

Winnie and Alina both joined in from their positions on the stage.

Smiles were covering everyone's face.

There was joy in the atmosphere.

Happiness for Nikolai from his close friends.

Happiness from the audience who saw a new hope for a better future for Ravka.

That moment was the first that Winnie didn't have a single thought of Ketterdam in her mind.

This was the beginning of her new life.

A new journey.

One in which she could finally find peace and rest.

However, that thought quickly faded.

Winnie saw a woman in a red dress suddenly walk out from one of the pews to stand in the middle of the aisle.

The shadow summoner was the first one to notice the woman's strange actions as she slowly stopped clapping and furrowed her eyebrows slightly.

The mysterious woman didn't look well.

She was sweating, trembling. Her eyes were full of exhaustion.

It was a stance that Winnie herself knew all too well.